Archive for the ‘magic’ Category
Bovina Festivus for the rest of us
Monday, July 27th, 2009Shows you need to go to
Sunday, July 19th, 2009Pure Class
Monday, June 1st, 2009Desert Styles
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
This place is called the Integratron. It is an acoustically designed resonant chamber in the middle of the desert where we paid 10 bucks to have a “sound bath” in which a lady from Queens in a purple jumpsuit played quartz singing bowls and some guy next to me started snoring. It was pretty amazing! More about the integratron.
Kind Budd
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
If you are a fan of Echo Magic, the chances are high that you already are keen to the music of Harold Budd. You may also know his brilliant 1981 recording “The Serpent (In Quicksilver).” I have been a long time fan of this record because it is one of the select few examples (there are others) of Budd’s music that features a pedal steel.
When I found this vinyl copy a few years back, I was struck with an amazing new discovery. When I put it on, it sounded different, warmer, deeper. I realized that the record was mastered for 45 rpm, despite its 12″ size. Having played it on 33 rpm, it was transformed before my ears into a whole new sonic landscape, one I wanted to curl up inside.
I would like to extend this experience with those who haven’t heard The Serpent (In Quicksilver) this way. Even if it is your first time hearing it, you are in for something special.
I am not certain that Harold Budd meant for this phenomenon to occur, but it wouldn’t surprise me. He made two records disguised as one.
download * here *
wa do dem
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrrUp9QBcmM&hl=en&fs=1]
Check the musicman amp. I miss my old one a little bit.
echo magic I (a composition)
Sunday, September 14th, 2008One of my current classes is about computer music composition. In the class we are encouraged to think about what roles computers can play in the making of music.
I developed a simple computer program using Max/Msp that takes eleven sound samples and repetively sequences them in random order. During playback, the sounds are delayed (this is where the echo magic happens) for different time periods and durations.
The idea is heavily inspired by Eno’s 1975 masterpiece “Discrete Music”, where he uses “self-regulating and self-generating systems” so that the composer can “tend towards the roles of planner and programmer, and then beome the audience to the results.”
For my first composition using this method I sampled myself playing lap steel as the source material. The results are very beautiful. Take a listen:
herbie magic 1974
Monday, August 25th, 2008[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS104Tqb88Y&hl=en&fs=1]















